Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes into account a player’s results over six half-year periods. The GPI also ranks the top performers of the year over two six-month periods as calculated by the USA Today Global Poker Index point system.

2015 GPI Player of the Year

Rank

Player

GPI Score

1

Thomas Muehloecker

1052.51

2

Atanas Kavrakov

1010.03

3

Ramin Hajiyev

976.39

4

Jonathan Karamalikis

961.39

5

Nicholas Petrangelo

931.97

6

Pratyush Buddiga

900.72

7

Steve O'Dwyer

844.17

8

Jose Carlos Garcia

826.11

9

Walter Fisher

772.02

10

Bryn Kenney

753.74

It is still only the first month of the year, and as players earn their initial 2015 POY points the rankings should be fairly volatile until the frontrunners establish themselves. This week the Austrian Thomas Muehloecker (pictured) jumped to an early lead in the POY race after picking up two strong cashes at the 2015 Aussie Millions including a fifth-place finish in the $25,000 Challenge.

Moving up just behind Muehloecker into second position this week is Atanas Kavrakov of Bulgaria who earned five cashes at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

Other big movers include Pratyush Buddiga who after final-tabling the PCA Main Event (finishing seventh) flew down to Melbourne to take third in the Aussie Millions $25,000 Challenge. PCA $100,000 Super High Roller winner Steve O'Dwyer also made the same trip, with a $25,000 Challenge final table seat also a destination for him as he took sixth in that event.

GPI 300 Top 10

Rank

Player

GPI Score

Change

1

Ole Schemion

4072.06

-

2

Pratyush Buddiga

3800.66

-1

3

Bryn Kenney

3616.71

+3

4

Davidi Kitai

3549.56

-1

5

Jason Mercier

3525.98

+6

6

Dan Smith

3479.26

-2

7

Stephen Chidwick

3458.71

-4

8

Scott Seiver

3410.94

+18

9

Ami Barer

3367.21

-1

10

Jonathan Duhamel

3346.23

+7

The overall GPI rankings were comparatively stable this week with Ole Schemion retaining the top spot for a sixth-straight week. After cashing in the PCA Main Event a couple of weeks ago, Schemion is looking to add to his lead this week as he will carry the chip lead to the Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge eight-handed final table today. Be sure to follow the updates of that one here at PokerNews.

Buddiga bumped back up to No. 2 this week thanks to his Aussie Millions score. And Stephen Chidwick moved up from No. 14 to No. 7 after he took fourth place in that aforementioned $25,000 Challenge in Melbourne.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

Rank

Player

Total Score

140

Tobias Reinkemeier

2000.19

268

Timur Margolin

1606.82

275

Gerald Karlic

1592.71

278

Maria Ho

1586.39

281

Marco Della Tommasino

1580.83

285

Jesse Cohen

1576.69

287

Joao Simao

1574.48

294

Boris Yanpolskiy

1565.08

300

Ronit Chamani

1552.40

There are nine newcomers this week joining the overall GPI Top 300 with Tobias Reinkemeier jumping up the highest after finishing runner-up in that same Aussie Millions $25,000 Challenge. Among the players whose spots were claimed were Max Altergott (No. 305 this week), Chris Hunichen (No. 308), and Nacho Barbero (No. 310).

Biggest Gains

Rank

Player

Total GPI Score

Change

294

Boris Yanpolskiy

1565.08

+238

140

Tobias Reinkemeier

2000.19

+178

268

Timur Margolin

1606.82

+164

287

Joao Simao

1574.48

+104

181

Paul Tedeschi

1856.01

+83

That move made Reinkemeier one of the biggest gainers among those in the Top 300 this week, his jump only exceeded by that of Boris Yanpolskiy who surged from No. 532 up to No. 294 after picking up three cashes during the partypoker World Poker Tour Merit Classic North Cyprus series including an eighth in the Main Event, a third in another side event, and a victory in another.

Biggest Drops

Rank

Player

Total GPI Score

Change

240

David Paredes

1697.46

-47

197

Anthony Ruberto

1802.98

-39

176

Brian Hastings

1881.99

-37

229

Alexander Kumin

1730.50

-29

276

Ihar Soika

1591.29

-28

Finally David Paredes dropped the furthest among those remaining in the GPI Top 300 this week, slipping from No. 193 to No. 240 after his second-place finish at the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open Championship early last year became more than 12 months old to enter a third scoring period.

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